Never Even Knew | Eddie Munson

Chapter Two

𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆?
𝑷𝒕.1
𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚
" Ooo that's a good one, I like the colors."
Nancy claps her hands in excitement as Jonathan and I look at the photograph Nancy points at. Its a picture of the cheerleaders I took.
" Ok then, now that you've finally chosen one can we go now?"
Jonathan groans and Nancy rolls her eyes.
" Yes we can go you whiny butt."
I laugh and grab my things as we head out to the lunch room. I loop my arm around both Jonathan and Nancy's as we walk down the hall.
I look around the hall while Nancy and Jonathan ramble about whatever they are talking about. I am lost in thought and not listening to them. I'm looking, looking for Eddie? Scanning the lockers I wonder which one is his and I question weather or not he'll be in math today. Do I usually see him in the lunch room? I know I see him in the halls all the time, where is he now? I snap out of my thoughts because Nancy starts calling my name. What am I even doing, wondering where Eddie is, I literally talked to him once. We aren't friends.
" Hello? Jules?"
"Sorry. I'm just tired, and hungry."
" Well let's get you some food then."
Jonathan pulls me towards the lunch line.

" What are we doing tonight?"
Jonathan ask as he takes a huge bite of pizza, I do the same.
Nancy jumps in and says,
" We could go to the roller rink. Oh or maybe we should go to the lake!"
" Um we've been roller skating the past two Fridays, and it's too cold to swim."
Jonathan mumbles through bites of his food.
" What do you think Jules? Jules?"
Where does Eddie usually sit? I would imagine with his d&d club? I don't even see Mike, Dustin, or Lucas. Do they even each lunch in here?
" Juliette!"
Jonathan pulls me back to reality.
" Sorry guys. What were we talking about?"
" We were wondering what you think we should do tonight. But it seems you are a little preoccupied today. What's on your mind?"
" Uh nothing. Just out of focus today. We can do whatever you want. Maybe Skating?"
Nancy looks over at Jonathan with a snotty grin and laughs. Jonathan rolls his eyes.
" Come on, let's go to class. We will just meet up at Nance's tonight"
Jonathan tells us as heads to his class. He has Chemistry this period while Nancy and I have math. Fuck Mr. Kights. Eddie! I'll see Eddie. What am I doing, I'm actually exited to go to math because of Eddie. God I really need to snap out of it.
I grab Nancy's hand and we walk to class.

No Eddie in math. Oh well it's not surprising he skips a lot.
I walk over to my locker to meet Nancy and Jonathan at the end of the day. Putting in my combination I see Jordan Woods across the hall walking towards the doors. I stare, my eyes wide. His right eye is swollen almost shut and it's black and blue. His lips are cut and his cheeks are incredibly bruised. Eddie really did a number on him, no wonder he got in so much trouble. Where is Eddie? I wonder again. Jordan sees me staring and gives me a dirty look.
" Woah, what happened to him?"
Nancy says as she looks over at Jordan too and I quickly look to my friends.
" Asshole probably deserved it."
Jonathan states.
I don't say a word as I stare into my locker.
" Nancy's at 5?"
I nod, close my locker door, and head outside.
" See ya!"
"Bye!"

I shove my books in my backpack and head down the path I usually take to go home. Fridays dad works late, which works out because Fridays are the nights Jonathan, Nancy, and I do something fun. With my backpack slung over my shoulder I start to walk home. Maybe Eddie took the day off because of the fight. Or maybe he's been in school and I just didn't see him. Or maybe I'm thinking way too much about it all and I need to clear my head. I gulp water from my water bottle as the leaves crunch under my converse and I take in the beautifully crisp fall air. I walk closer to the side of the street next to the trees because I hear a car coming.

" Need a ride?"
I know that voice. I stop, the water from my bottle spills a little down my neck as I freeze suddenly to turn to the voice I hear.
There he is. In his car, stopped looking at me with a big goofy smile. Waiting for my reply. Eddie Munson.
" Its kinda cold ya know. I don't mind giving you a ride home. I told you I know what path you take home. Ok that sounded very stalker like, pretend I didn't say that."
I smile widely and he chuckles a little.
" So? Would you like a ride?"
I look forward at my path home and then back to Eddie in his car. His smile still glued on, his soft looking hair hanging slightly in his face, music coming from the radio. Why the hell not.
I nod and walk around the car to the passenger side. I get comfortable in the passenger seat and buckle my seat belt. His car smells like cigarette smoke, rain, and cologne, but it all kinda blends nicely together, it isn't too overpowering. I like it. I shove my backpack in between my feet and focus on the radio trying to decipher the words to guess the song. Very much heavy metal, very much I don't know. But I like it. Glancing over to the steering wheel where Eddie's hands are I look at the shiny rings. I like them. He taps his fingertips to the beat of the music and I look at his side profile. I like it.
He looks at me out of the corner of his eyes and stops tapping. I look straight forward out the windshield.
" So you'll have to give me directions. To your house."
Eddie lightly says as he slows the car down a bit.
" Don't you already know the way, being my stalker and all?"
I tease, feeling oddly comfortable around him.
Eddie smiles at my sarcasm and starts tapping his fingers again.
" I'm not a very good stalker, okay? In fact I'm pretty damn terrible at it apparently, so directions please Ms. Hopper."
Ms. Hopper? Silly boy.
" Next left, and then another left, and then straight all the way down until you see a red mailbox."
" Got it."